Footwear, Article, Method for Keeping Foot and Sock Dry

ABSTRACT

Described herein is a footwear and an article for keeping a foot dry, and a related method. A footwear member may have an exterior surface defining an exterior of the footwear member, an internal surface defining an internal cavity sized to receive the foot and at least portions of the removable membrane, and a footwear size. The removable membrane may be made of a non-rigid, disposable, resilient material that is impermeable to water. The removable membrane may have a membrane exterior surface, a membrane interior surface, and a membrane size corresponding to the footwear size. The removable membrane configured to conform to a shape and a size of the foot. The method may include providing a footwear assembly including a footwear member and a removable membrane, placing the provided membrane over the foot, and positioning the removable membrane with the foot inserted therein within the boot.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of U.S.Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/568,092 filed Dec. 11,2014, the contents of which are incorporated herein by this reference intheir entireties.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention pertains to the field of articles for preventing wetfeet, particularly under harsh labor conditions.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION AND DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

Numerous well-known problems arise from wet feet. For example, leavingfeet in wet shoes and socks for prolonged periods may cause maceration,resulting in skin becoming sore, itchy, soft, and prone to blisteringand—once the macerated skin dries out—painful cracking. Wet feet canalso become colder more quickly than dry feet. Feet that are exposed tocold and damp conditions for long periods of time experience moreserious problems, such as trench foot. Wet shoes and socks may alsoexpose feet to odor-causing bacteria and fungi infections.

Certain active shoe environments of shoes are not only wet and cold, butmay also require stepping through dirt and grime, which can betransferred into shoes, socks, and lower pant legs, where it may stickto and irritate a person's skin. Such harsh conditions and resulting wetand/or dirty states may frustrate the main purposes for wearing socks,such as for example keeping feet clean, providing foot-support, comfort,warmth, and preventing blistering (that may otherwise occur when theskin repeatedly rubs, sticks or slides within a shoe). When shoes areused in particularly dirty and wet environments, a person's socks mayalso be contaminated to such a degree that it is virtually impossible torestore them through washing to a state of perceived cleanliness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Methods, footwear assemblies, and apparatuses are described for keepinga foot dry. According to at least one embodiment, a method of keeping afoot dry using a footwear assembly may include a step of providing afootwear assembly including a footwear member and a removable membrane.The footwear member may have an exterior surface defining an exterior ofthe footwear member, an internal surface defining an internal cavitysized to receive the foot and at least portions of the removablemembrane, and a footwear size. The removable membrane may include anon-rigid, disposable, resilient material that may be impermeable towater. The removable membrane may also have a membrane exterior surface,a membrane interior surface, and a membrane size corresponding to thefootwear size. The removable membrane may include a closed toe section,a heel section opposite to the toe section, a body section between thetoe section and the heel section, a lower leg section above the heelsection, and a top opening above the lower leg section. The removablemembrane may also be configured to conform to a shape and a size of thefoot.

The method may also include the step of placing the provided membraneover the foot so that the toe section covers toes of the foot, the heelsection covers a heel of the foot, and the lower leg section covers atleast a portion of a lower leg to which the foot is attached so that themembrane exterior surface may face away from the foot and lower leg, andthe membrane interior surface may face towards and contact the foot whenthe foot is inserted into the removable membrane. The method may furtherinclude the step of positioning the removable membrane with the footinserted therein within the boot, the removable membrane preventingwater located within the footwear member from contacting the foot.

In one example, the membrane exterior may include a same membranematerial as the membrane interior. In some examples, the membranematerial may include polyurethane. In some examples, the membranematerial may include 100% polyurethane.

In some examples, the membrane may include, near the top opening, amembrane retainer to prevent the lower leg section and the top openingfrom falling down. In some examples, the method may include, after themembrane is placed over the foot, placing the membrane retainer toprevent the lower leg section and the top opening from falling downalong the lower leg section so that water is prevented from entering thetop opening.

In some examples, the membrane may be a first membrane and the membranesize may be a first membrane size. In some examples, the method mayinclude removing the boot from over the first membrane and the foot, andremoving the first membrane from over the foot. The method may alsoinclude identifying a non-rigid, resilient second membrane impermeableto water and made of disposable material, having a second membraneexterior surface and a second membrane interior surface, having a secondmembrane size associated with the boot size, and configured to conformto the shape and size of the foot, and placing the identified secondmembrane over the foot, thereby replacing the first membrane with thesecond membrane.

In some examples, the first membrane size may be the same as the secondmembrane size. In some example, the membrane may include a discretelayer independent of another layer that is configured to cover the lowerleg section or another layer that includes a sock. In some examples ofthe method, the placing may occur prior to the positioning.

According to at least one embodiment, footwear to keep a foot dry isalso described. In some examples, the footwear may include a toeportion, a heel portion, and a first layer defining a boot exteriorsurface and a boot interior surface. In some examples, the boot interiorsurface may be distinct from the boot exterior surface and may define aninternal cavity sized to receive the foot. The footwear may also includea removable membrane positioned in the internal cavity and having anexterior membrane surface and an interior membrane surface. In someexamples, the exterior membrane surface may be at least in partcontiguous to the boot interior surface, and the removable membrane mayinclude a non-rigid, resilient, disposable material that may beimpermeable to water and configured to conform to the shape and size ofthe foot. In some examples, the removable membrane may include a closedtoe section, a heel section opposite to the toe section, a body sectionbetween the toe section and the heel section, a lower leg section abovethe heel section, and a top opening above the lower leg section. Thefootwear may also include a second layer having material for at leastone of keeping the foot dry and keeping the foot warm. In some examples,the second layer may have an interior second layer surface and anexterior second layer surface, and the interior second layer surface maybe at least in part contiguous to the foot, and the exterior secondlayer surface may be at least in part contiguous to the interiormembrane surface.

In some examples, when the foot is inserted into the removable membrane,the toe section may cover the toes of the foot, the heel section maycover the heel of the foot, the body section may cover the body of thefoot, the lower leg section may cover at least a portion of a lower legto which the foot is attached so that the exterior membrane surface mayface away from the of the foot, and the interior membrane surface mayface towards the foot. In some examples the removable membrane may be adiscrete layer independent of the first and second layers, and theremovable membrane may prevent water within the internal cavity tocontact the second layer and the foot.

In some examples, the disposable material may include polyethylene. Insome examples, the disposable material may include 100% polyethylene. Insome examples of the footwear, the second layer may include, near thetop opening, a membrane retainer to prevent the lower leg section andthe top opening from falling down the lower leg of the foot. In someexamples, the lower leg section may include a height so that at leastone of the top opening may remain situated above an ankle of the foot orthe top opening may remain situated between a knee and the ankle or thetop opening may remain situated above an ankle and below a knee. In someexamples, the toe section of the membrane may be configured to beform-fitted to the toes, and the heel section of the membrane may beconfigured to be form-fitted to the heel.

According to at least one embodiment an article for keeping a foot dryafter a boot, into which the foot is inserted, is punctured, is alsodescribed. The boot may be of the type having a boot exterior surfaceand a boot interior surface distinct from the boot exterior surface andhaving a boot membrane that in an initial state is impermeable to waterand when punctured is no longer impermeable to water. In some examples,the article may include a non-rigid, resilient membrane impermeable towater that be made of disposable material. In some examples, themembrane may have a membrane exterior surface and a polyethylenemembrane interior surface, and may be conformed to the shape and size ofthe foot and may include a toe section, a heel section opposite to thetoe section, a body section between the toe section and the heelsection, a lower leg section above the heel section, and a top openingabove the lower leg section. The membrane may be configured forplacement over the foot so that the toe section may cover toes of thefoot and the heel section may cover a heel of the foot, and the lowerleg section may cover at least a portion of a lower leg so that thepolyethylene membrane exterior surface may face exteriorly away from thefoot and the interior membrane surface may face towards the foot and atleast some of the interior membrane surface may touch the foot while themembrane is placed over the foot and within the boot. In some examples,the membrane may include a discrete layer independent of another layerthat may be configured to cover the lower leg section or another layerthat may include a sock.

In some examples, the apparatus may include, near the top opening, amembrane retainer to prevent the lower leg section and the top openingfrom falling down when the foot is placed in the article and the articleis placed in the boot with the punctured boot membrane. In someexamples, the membrane may be configured for placement over the foot andinside the boot so that water having entered through the punctured bootmembrane and into the interior of the boot may be prevented from passingthrough the membrane, and also water may be prevented from entering thetop opening, so that the foot may remain dry while in the boot.

In some examples, the fit of the article may be configured to preventsliding of the foot in the article with the article and foot placed inthe boot. In some examples, the article may be configured for coveringboth the foot and a sock placed over the foot. In some examples, thearticle may be configured for covering the foot and at least two drysocks placed over the foot. In some examples, the article may include aninner liner for absorbing moisture off of the foot while in contact withat least a portion of the foot and configured to cover only a bottomportion of the foot. In some examples, the bottom portion may includenylon.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technicaladvantages of examples according to the disclosure in order that thedetailed description that follows may be better understood. Additionalfeatures and advantages will be described hereinafter. The abovedescription and listed alternative embodiments are considered that ofsome embodiments only. It is understood that the embodiments shown inthe drawings and described below are merely for illustrative purposesand not intended to limit scope. The conception and specific examplesdisclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designingother structures for carrying out the same purposes of the presentdisclosure. Such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spiritand scope of the appended claims. Features which are believed to becharacteristic of the concepts disclosed herein, both as to theirorganization and method of operation, together with associatedadvantages will be better understood from the following description whenconsidered in connection with the accompanying figures. Each of thefigures is provided for the purpose of illustration and descriptiononly, and not as a definition of the limits of the claims. Alterationsand modifications, therefore, and such further applications as wouldoccur to those skilled in the relevant art(s), are also contemplated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the embodimentsmay be realized by reference to the following drawings. In the appendedfigures, similar components or features may have the same referencelabel.

FIG. 1 illustrates a waterproof polyethylene disposable foot and sockcover article.

FIG. 2 illustrates the article of FIG. 1 in an environment of use insidea boot and over a sock.

FIG. 3 illustrates a boot and article that have been punctured by anail.

FIG. 4 illustrates a replacement article being conveniently distributed.

FIG. 5 illustrates a punctured boot with an intact replacement articletherein.

FIG. 6 illustrates a second smaller embodiment of the article shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 7 illustrates an article embodiment comprising an internal liner.

FIG. 8 illustrates a cutaway view of a footwear to keep a foot dry.

FIG. 9 illustrates an exploded view of a footwear to keep a foot dry.

FIG. 10 illustrates a flowchart for a method of keeping a foot dry usinga footwear assembly.

FIG. 11 illustrates another flowchart for a method of keeping a foot dryusing a footwear assembly.

While the embodiments described herein are susceptible to variousmodifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have beenshown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detailherein. However, the exemplary embodiments described herein are notintended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, theinstant disclosure covers all modifications, equivalents, andalternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Over the years, certain articles and methods have been utilized to tryand prevent wet feet. Plastic bags, for example, have sometimes beenplaced over socks and inside shoes, with several critical disadvantages.For example, ordinary plastic bags are not made to cover feet and aretherefore not uniquely adapted to the shape of a foot. Consequently,such bags have excess plastic material that is not only wasteful, butcan fold and bunch up inside the shoe in an unequally-distributed andirregular manner, making a good fit of the foot within the shoe moredifficult to achieve, and also increasing pressure at certain points ofthe bag inside the shoe, which can more easily lead to compromises inthe plastic membrane. Such excess material may also hang loosely out ofthe shoe, increasing the likelihood that it be punctured, or that wateror dirt particles will enter therein through a top opening. Morespecifically, such plastic bags are obviously not designed to hold upthe top opening in an elevated position, and such a loose plasticfit—even if the bag had enough length to cover more of the leg thansimply the shoe—due to the force of gravity and the absence of aneffective means for maintaining the top opening in an elevated position,cannot stay extended upward covering a substantial area of the lower legabove the shoe for a substantial period of time, but rather falls backdown towards the shoe, where it may loosely rest. Among the problemspresented by such a design (or lack of a strategically predetermineddesign), such loose plastic bag-like coverings provide a lower point ofentry for water and dirt particles. Once such water and dirt particlesenter the plastic bag, the sock and foot can become contaminated and/orwetted by such particles. The potentially substantially impermeableplastic bag can then make matters worse, moreover, by trapping themoisture and dirt inside the bag.

In addition to makeshift plastic bags, some allegedly “waterproof” sockshave been created with the objective of preventing wet feet. While somesuch socks may absorb less water, or dry out faster, or be designed topull moisture away from the skin more than other socks, they are oftennot waterproof in the true sense of the term but more accuratelysemi-permeable or simply “repellant” to water. Even if some existingsocks do have membranes that are in fact substantially impermeable towater, such membranes may often and easily become compromised at certainspots (allowing water to pass through) or lose their waterproof (orwater resistant) qualities with time and use. When such socks becomemore permeable to water and then become wet or immersed in water, thefeet inside of course also become wet. In addition to either havingmembranes that become compromised or that otherwise lose theirwaterproof qualities over time, such waterproof socks are often made outof somewhat complex types of fabric, making them expensive tomanufacture, purchase, and (once compromised or rendered less effective)replace. In addition, some such socks have other limitations, such asnot being able to be worn frequently, since the needed washing (orwashing using fabric softener) may substantially reduce theeffectiveness and life of the socks.

Other devices, while not socks per se, have been created with similarobjectives as waterproof socks, yet similarly have disadvantages.Waterproof boot rubber liners, for example, while designed to keep feetdry inside footwear, may be made from woven fabric that is permeable notonly to air but also (at least eventually) to water. Like some of theaforementioned “waterproof” socks, some such boot liners lose theirwaterproof qualities over time. Predictably, such boot liners are alsogenerally limited in size to the height of the boots, and do not extendmuch beyond the height of the boot's upper collar. In some cases thislimited height may not only leave the lower leg exposed to dirt andwater but may also constitute a less elevated opening into which gravityand the surface of the skin may pull water and dirt. In addition, bootliners may suffer from some of the disadvantages of shoe linersgenerally. By way of specific example, the boot liners are made toconform to the contours of the boot rather than a foot, and thereforethe act of inserting the foot into the shoe can displace the desiredposition of the liner, leading to liner material bunching up within theboot in unintended spots and also lead to an improper fit of the footwithin the boot.

Rubber hip waders and some waterproof boots may be substantiallyeffective in keeping the feet dry, but, like the aforementioned“waterproof” boot liners and socks, may not be adequate for physicallydemanding activities in somewhat harsh conditions, such as performingwork on construction sites, etc. Specifically, when performing work onmany construction sites, it is a common occurrence that a worker's bootsmay become punctured by sharp objects, such as nails. Such puncturingoften irreparably compromises the waterproof membrane, which may thenallow water to seep into the boot. Due to the substantial costs ofreplacing said specialized waterproof boots, once the boots arepunctured, some workers (at least for a time) may simply continuewearing and using the punctured boots notwithstanding their resultingwet and potentially cold feet. In addition to puncturing the boots, suchnails on construction sites may also pierce the purportedly waterproofmembranes of waders, boot liners, and socks that may be inside theboots, not only allowing the feet to get wet but also ruining such alsopotentially-expensive articles.

It would clearly be desirable if an article existed that could overcomeone of more of the aforementioned disadvantages—for example, by keepingthe feet dry yet not be prohibitively expensive or difficult to replaceonce loss of waterproof effectiveness has been experienced (whether frommultiple uses or from a waterproof membrane being compromised, such asby puncturing). It would further be beneficial if such an article couldallow punctured construction boots, whether or not intended to bewaterproof when not in a punctured state, to be used by a person withoutfeet becoming wet (which might avoid having to replaceoriginally-waterproof boots).

Described herein is a method, foot assembly, and waterproof disposablefoot and sock cover article for overcoming at least some of theaforementioned problems. The article may have a toe section opposite toa heel section, a body section between the toe section and the heelsection, and an ankle/lower leg section above the heel section, with atop opening above the ankle/lower leg section heel section for insertionof a foot and the lower leg (and also a sock over the foot) therein.

The article may come in a variety of sizes. The sizes may correspond,for example, to one or more of a foot, a sock, or a boot. For instance,U.S. standard: (1) sock sizes 3-8.5 may generally correspond to U.S.children shoe sizes 00-131/2; (2) sock sizes 8.5-12.5 may correspond toU.S. women shoe sizes 2½-13 (with sock sizes 9-11 corresponding, forexample, to U.S. women shoe sizes 5-10); (3) sock sizes 8.5-16 maygenerally correspond to men and boys shoe sizes 1-18. By way of furtherexample, U.S. men medium sock sizes 9-11 may correspond to U.S. men shoesizes 7-8½, men large sock sizes 10-13 may correspond to U.S. men shoesizes 8-12½, and extra-large sock sizes 13-15 may correspond to U.S. menshoe size 12-14. Thus, the article may correspond to a particular socksize or specific shoe size—e.g., 3-16, women sizes 4-12, men sizes 6-16,or simply small, medium, and large sizes. In one example, the sizes maycorrespond to average-dimensioned feet corresponding to a particularshoe or sock size (for example, average dimensions according or relatedto the Mondopoint system).

Some article embodiments may also feature different styles or dimensionswithin a particular article size corresponding to at least one of afoot, sock, or shoe size. For example, the article width may varysimilar to some shoe sizes that have varying widths to betteraccommodate particular feet of varying widths. Specifically, U.S. shoesmay sometimes be available in narrow (e.g., “B”), medium (e.g., “D” or“M”), wide (e.g., “EE,” “EW,” or “W”), and extra wide (e.g., “EEE”)widths. In some examples the article width sizes may increase ordecrease by predetermined increments (e.g., 3/16 inch). In addition,some article embodiments may have wider lower leg section, which may forexample accommodate different calf sixes (e.g., a 21-inch calfcircumference instead of 18-inch calf circumference).

The article may also be made of a variety of materials. For example, thearticle may be made of waterproof material forming a membrane that isimpermeable to water (and in some examples, impermeable to air). Forexample, the material may be polymeric and/or elastomeric. In someexamples, the material may include one or more of a synthetic elastomer,latex, vinyl, polyvinyl chloride, chloroprene, neoprene, nitrile rubber,isoprene (e.g., polyisoprene), or a thermoplastic polymer such aspolypropylene or high-density polyethylene (C2H4)nH2.

In some examples, the article material may exhibit elastic properties.In some examples, a stretch ratio (the ratio between a final length andan initial length L of a material line) of two or greater may besustained before failure or irreversible, severe deformation. In someexamples, the material may be hyper-elastic. The article may further beconfigured to conform to the shape and size of a foot. The conformingmay for example be based at least in in part on the elasticity of thematerial. In some examples, the elasticity of the article may be thesame throughout, and in other examples, the elasticity of certainsections of the article may vary (e.g., at or about the lower legsection with increasing elasticity going up towards the top openinguntil reaching the membrane retainer, which in some examples may havegreater elasticity).

In some examples, the article may also be made of a thicker, moreresilient material, which may provide greater tensile strength and makethe article less susceptible to membrane penetration. Such thickness andresiliency may be beneficial in certain physically-strenuous and wetenvironments (such as certain construction projects or certain outdoorlocations), where shoes and feet may be subject to somewhat-constant andsubstantial external forces, and also have frequent exposure to water.The thickness or gauge of the material may in some examples be based atleast in part on available space within a boot between the interiorsurface (facing interiorly) of an interior liner of the boot, and aperson's sock and foot. Thus, by way of further example, as such spacemay vary depending on location within the boot, the thickness of thematerial may also vary for different parts of the article membrane.

In some examples, the thickness of the material from which the articleis made may be uniform throughout. Because, for example, when a personwears two socks there is then less space between the interior surface ofthe interior lining of the boot and the person's socks and foot, a lessthick membrane may be used while maintaining a somewhat similar level ofcomfort and fit within the boot. However, using two socks may in somecircumstances keep a person's foot warmer within the boot. In someexamples, one article may have a material thickness (e.g., gauge) twicethat of another article that otherwise may have the same article sizeand dimensions. In some examples, the thickness of the article mayaffect the force required for a given amount of elongation of thearticle helpful for conforming to the shape and size of the foot.

The thickness (e.g., gauge) of the material may vary according toembodiment and preference. For example, for use in certain geographicallocations accustomed to cold winter weather, less thickness (e.g.,gauge) may be preferable in the winter to allow use with more than onelayered sock within the same shoe for greater warmth of the user. On theother hand, a thinner gauge of material may not last as long in someworking environment entailing somewhat harsh conditions (sometimes onlylasting for one day, whereas a thicker gauge may last two to three timesas long).

The thickness of the material may be variable within a given article.For example, the material along the bottom side that is positioned alongthe bottom of the foot may be thicker than an upper side that ispositioned along the top side of the foot. Providing increased thicknessalong the bottom of the article may provide additional cushioning,improve durability and other advantages.

Near the opening at the top of the sock the article may also include amembrane retainer to prevent the top of the sock from falling down thelower leg (due to gravity and movement). In one embodiment, saidmembrane retainer may expand and contract in the horizontal directionbut not necessarily in the longitudinal direction, and may exhibitelastic-like properties. Although the degree to which the membraneretainer may apply inward pressure against the leg may vary, it shouldbe sufficient to prevent the lower leg section and the top opening fromfalling to a lower position. In some examples, the membrane retainer maybe loose enough to not be uncomfortable around and not irritate or leavemarks on the skin of the lower leg. With the lower leg section and topopening nevertheless kept relatively tightly against (but notnecessarily directly against) the skin and at a higher elevated point,the opportunity for water and dirt to enter may be decreased. In oneexample, the membrane retainer to prevent the lower leg section fromfalling may include a sealing mechanism against the skin to assist inpreventing water and/or dirt particles from entering through the topopening. In some examples, the membrane retainer may include an elasticor elastic material, a lace (which can be tightened and tied), etc.

The article may further be configured so that, when placed over a footand a sock, and then the article, foot and sock are placed in a boot,there may be little or no excess article material not conformed to theshape and size of the foot. Thus, in some examples, the fit of the bootmay be only slightly altered by the presence of the article inside theboot. In some examples, the article described herein, in contrast tosome previous “waterproof” articles, may be form-fitted to the toes andheel and body of the foot, and to the lower leg, so that excess materialdoes not bunch up in improper places. Some examples may have some smallamounts of excess material conformed to the shape and size of the foot,which small excess may assist in placing the article over the foot (orover the foot and a sock). However, in such examples, unlike someprevious articles or methods, there would be little if any excessmaterial not conformed to the shape of the foot once the article isplaced over the foot (including e.g., over the foot and a sock—thus thearticle in some examples may have elastic properties). For instance, insome such previous articles or methods where the articles are notconfigured to closely conform to the shape and size of the foot—once thearticle is placed over the foot and positioned inside the boot, theexcess material (and evens large areas of the excess material) may foldwithin the boot. In contrast to such previous article or method, whilearticle may be placed over the foot and the sock and within the boot, insome examples no portion of the heel section or the body section of themembrane of the article may be folded against another portion of themembrane (which may in some examples be referred to as an “unfoldedstate”). Thus, an “unfolded state” of the membrane may be different thansimply the bunching up of some portions of the membrane in the toesection (or in other sections).

Moreover, the folding of one portion of the membrane against anotherportion of the membrane may be different than, for example, merewrinkles in the membrane. For example, a boot may have a boot exteriorsurface essentially always facing exteriorly (from the cavity of theboot, into which the foot may be positioned). The boot may also have aboot interior surface, which boot interior surface may always faceinteriorly (towards the cavity of the boot). The boot exterior surfacemay be distinct from the boot interior surface. In some examples theboot interior surface may include an inner boot liner. The articlemembrane may also have an exterior membrane surface (configured tomostly face away from a foot, when the article is placed on the foot)and an interior membrane surface (configured to mostly face towards thefoot, when placed on the foot). In some examples, an unfolded membranemay be thought of as different from wrinkles in that, when the membraneis folded it may create essentially three parallel layers of the foldedmembrane (e.g., a first membrane layer of one portion of the membrane, asecond membrane layer of another portion of the membrane, and a thirdmembrane layer of yet another portion of the membrane). In other words,the folded membrane may include a first membrane layer of one portion ofthe membrane having an exterior first membrane surface followed by aninterior first membrane surface contiguous to or parallel with a secondmembrane layer of another portion of the membrane having an exteriorsecond membrane surface followed by an interior second membrane surfacecontiguous to or parallel with a third membrane layer of yet anotherportion of the membrane having an exterior third membrane surfacefollowed by an interior third membrane surface contiguous or touchingthe sock or foot.

In some examples, the article may be configured so that, when placedover a foot (and in some examples a sock), and then being placed in aboot, there may be little or no excess article material not conformed tothe shape and size of the foot, may among other benefits decrease thelikelihood that the lower leg section of the article will fall down. Insome examples, moreover, the article, and e.g., the lower leg sectionthereof, may have a predetermined size for fitting not just over thesock but also over parts of the leg. In one example, the article ande.g., the lower leg section thereof, may have a predetermined size foralso fitting over a lower pant leg, thus keeping the pant legs andsocks, and feet and lower legs, dry as well as clean.

The article may also be intentionally and strategically disposable. Morespecifically, the material comprising the article may be economicallyreplaceable, such that it may be replaced numerous times by a consumerfor less than the cost of replacing waterproof boots, waders, or otherpurportedly-waterproof liners or socks (which as mentioned above mayoften be comprised of woven or synthetic fabrics that are much moreexpensive to produce and replace). The strategic disposability of thearticle may be beneficial in at least several respects. First, thearticle may not be required to be machine washed, which machine washingmay be problematic and limit the frequency of use of certain prior artarticles intended to keep feet dry. Rather, the article may simply bedisposed of and replaced. Second, disposability may also assist inavoiding the problem, common among certain prior art articles(especially those comprising a “waterproof” membrane comprised at leastpartially of some sort of fabric), of loss over time with use ofwaterproof, water repellant, and/or water-resistant qualities, since thedisposable article may simply and economically be replaced at the outsetof or prior to any such degeneration. Third, the strategically-designeddisposability of the article may be particularly beneficial in harshworking environments where certain conditions make breaches ofwaterproof membranes virtually inevitable regardless of the article forkeeping feet dry. For example, as mentioned above, for times when a bootand even the article described herein is punctured by a nail on aconstruction site, the article may be easily and affordably replacedwhereas the replacement of many prior art articles (e.g., the entirepreviously waterproof boot) is more costly. Furthermore, in oneembodiment, a plurality of disposable and replaceable articles may bepurchased together and distributed conveniently (e.g., from a box—in oneembodiment similar to a tissue box), which might be more easily andquickly accessible in certain work environments, such as a constructionsite. In addition to being disposable, the article may also in oneembodiment be biodegradable and environmentally-friendly.

The article may also be worn with and over socks. The article may haveone objective to preserve a sock in a dry state and therefore able tocontinue performing at least some of the intended and beneficialpurposes of socks generally, including keeping moisture from settlingagainst the skin of the foot (in contrast to some so-called “waterproof”socks that are applied directly to the skin and may nevertheless allowthe feet to become wet). Stated differently, since the article mayenable a sock to remain dry even in an externally wet environment, atleast some of the functions of the sock are accomplishable that wouldotherwise not be possible with a wet sock. In addition, unlike certainwaterproof socks that may be made of material that is somewhatuncomfortable against the skin, here the article allows the wearer theoption of wearing socks selected according to the user's preference.

In some examples, the membrane may not be attached to (e.g., may be freefrom attachment from) another structure or layer (such as, for example,a sock). In other words, the membrane may in an example be a unitarypiece. In addition, although as mentioned the article may keep a sock(as well as a foot) dry inside the article, possibly to accommodateincreased foot perspiration, the article may nevertheless include in oneembodiment a liner for absorbing excess moisture such as sweat and alsofor assisting the sock in preventing the foot from acquiring undesirableodor-causing bacteria. Although the material including the liner mayvary, in some embodiments the liner material may comprise a satin-likematerial, cotton, nylon, mesh, lycra, or polyester, or a combinationthereof. In some example, the liner of the article may comprisematerials that are commonly used in socks and may be considered a sockor an integrated sock with the waterproof portions of the article.

Turning to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of awaterproof polyethylene disposable foot and sock cover article 7,conformed to the shape of a foot, and for placement over a sock 8 (thatmay also be placed over a foot, as shown in FIG. 2). The article 7 mayinclude a toe section 9, a body section 15, and a heel section 10, and alower leg section 11 above the heel section 10. Above the lower legsection 11 may be a top opening 12 for insertion therein of a sock 8(and of a foot 19 as shown in FIG. 2, with the sock 8 placed over a foot19 and lower leg 22). Near the top opening 12 may also be a means 13 forpreventing the top opening 12 from falling down, which in the embodimentshown may comprise a band having elastic properties 13, allowing it toexpand and contract laterally. The article 7 may further include anouter membrane 14 substantially impermeable to water, comprised of athicker gauge high density polyethylene (C₂H₄)_(n)H₂.

As shown in FIG. 2, the article 7 may enable a sock 8 and a foot 19therein to remain dry even in an externally wet environment 16. Morespecifically, the article 7 may have application inside the environmentof a boot 17, which boot 17 may be used in a wet environment 16, and maybe used over a sock 8 (with the sock 8 inside the boot 17). Since theshape of the article 7 conforms to the shape of a foot 19, the toesection 9 may fit snugly over the toes 20 of the foot 19, and the heelsection 10 tightly over the heel 21 of the foot 19, and the lower legsection 11 fitted over the lower leg 22 (with the sock 8 over all orsome of said parts 20, 21 of the foot 19 and leg 22, and in between saidparts 20, 21, 22 and said sections 9, 10, 11 of the article 7), so thatwith the article 7 placed over the foot 20 and sock 8 and within theboot 17, there may be little or no excess material in the interior ofthe boot 18 so that the skin of the foot 19 may not be aggravated by apoor fit and blisters do not form from for example a poor fit and/orsliding of the foot 19 within the boot 17. Such a tight and snug fit ofthe article 7 inside the boot 17 and the absence of excess material mayfurther assist in preserving the higher elevated position of the lowerleg section 11 and top opening 12. Such an advantageously elevatedposition may also be maintained by the assistance of the means 13 forpreventing the lower leg section 11 from falling, which means 13 maysubstantially seal somewhat tightly (but without irritating or damagesthe skin of the lower leg 22) against the sock 8 and/or the lower leg 22to assist in preventing water 16 from entering through the top opening12.

The article 7 may also be intentionally and strategically disposable andmay accordingly be made of material that is economical to replace, whichfeature may be beneficial in certain circumstances and environments ofuse. For example, consider the harsh working conditions of certainconstruction environments, which may not only commonly feature puddlesof water 16, but also numerous sharp and dangerous objects 23 (FIG. 3)that may inevitably puncture otherwise waterproof membranes regardlessof the type of article chosen intended to keep feet dry. For example, asshown in FIG. 3, there may frequently be instances when an otherwiseeffective waterproof boot 29 membrane 24 may be punctured by a nail 23,breaching and leaving a hole 27 in the membrane 24 and allowing water 16to seep through to the interior and to be exposed to both the sock 31and foot 19. Another pair of waterproof boots 29 may not be immediatelyavailable, nor easily/economically-practicably replaceable, yet theprolonged and potentially repeated exposure of the foot 19 to water 16,especially in certain cold conditions, might lead to discomfort,blisters, macerated skin, or other health hazards, and may also resultin a worker completing his or her work tasks with less than optimalefficiency as with both feet dry. In addition, where the puncture hasruptured the skin of the foot 19, continuing exposure to a wetenvironment of water 16 and a soaked sock 31 (FIG. 2) can lead to evengreater risk of health hazard. Even where the article and articlemembrane 26 is worn inside the boot 29, the waterproof article andmembrane 26—as well as the purportedly waterproof membrane of any priorart article for keeping feet dry—may of course also be punctured 30 sothat it is irreparably breached, as shown in FIG. 3. However, incontrast to prior art articles, the article 26 may be economically,conveniently, and expeditiously replaced by another replaceable article26. For example, FIG. 4 illustrates a dispenser 25 of replaceablearticles 26, which may be bought in bulk, stored compactly and kept at aplace where they may be predictably and conveniently accessible, such asa dry spot on a construction worksite. Thus, a worker 28 having a boot29 with a waterproof membrane 24 (as shown in FIG. 3) having a puncture27, and/or an article 26 (or prior art article) with a membrane that hasbeen punctured 30, may simply acquire a replacement article 26 and (asshown in FIG. 4), as shown in FIG. 5, place it over a dry foot 19 anddried-out or new dry sock 31, and work may continue with the foot ableto stay dry, notwithstanding the puncture 27 of the membrane 24 of thepreviously-waterproof boot 29, and notwithstanding water 16 seeping intothe interior of said boot 29.

The precise dimensions of different article embodiments may of coursevary, and replaceable articles 26 may be available in different sizes,according for example to user foot size and boot design. As shown inFIG. 6, a smaller-size embodiment 107 may comprise a shorter lower legsection 111 above a heel section 110 but may still comprise a means 113for preventing the top opening 112 from falling down, such as a band 113that may contract against the surface of the inner sock 8.

Other article embodiments may vary widely and may include additionalfeatures. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, one article embodiment 207may be used (with or) without a sock and may comprise an inner liner 208for absorbing excess moisture such as sweat and for preventing odor.Like the article 7 shown in FIG. 1, the article embodiment 207comprising the internal liner 208 may be form-fitted to the foot 19, yet(in the particular embodiment 207 shown) the internal liner 208 may onlyencompass the area from the toes 20 to the heel, only along the bottomportion 209 of the foot 19.

FIG. 8 illustrates a cutaway view of a footwear 301 to keep a foot 319dry. The footwear may have a toe portion 313, and a heel portion 314.The footwear 301 may have a first layer 317 defining a boot exteriorsurface 302 and a boot interior surface 303. The boot interior surface303 may be distinct in one or more aspects from the boot exteriorsurface 302. For example, the boot exterior surface 302 may be made ofone or more of leather, rubber (e.g., solid, natural, or gum), plastic,canvas, etc., and may be made of different materials at differentlocations. The boot interior surface 303 may be, for example a bootlining made of certain materials for providing cushion and/or comfort tothe foot, or for drawing out moisture. The boot interior surface 303 mayform or define an internal cavity 304 sized to receive the foot 319. Insome examples, the first layer 317 may be associated with a boot 320.

The footwear 301 may also include a removable membrane 307 that may bepositioned in the internal cavity 304. The removable membrane 307 mayinclude a non-rigid, resilient, disposable material that is impermeableto water. The removable membrane 307 may be made from a variety ofmaterials. In some examples, the removable membrane 307 may be made ofpolyethylene (e.g., 100% polyethylene).

In some examples, the removable membrane 307 may be configured toconform to the shape and size of the foot 319. The removable membrane307 may include a closed toe section 309 and a heel section 310 oppositeto the toe section 309. In some examples, the toe section 309 may beconfigured to be form-fitted to toes 322 of the foot 319, and the heelsection 310 may be configured to be form-fitted to the heel 321. Theremovable membrane 307 may also include a body section 315 between thetoe section 309 and the heel section 310, as well as a lower leg section311 above the heel section 310. The lower leg section 311 may correspondto a lower leg (e.g., which lower leg may be include that portion of theleg between the foot 319 and the knee and may either include the ankle319 and/or in some cases the area of a portion of the leg above theankle 319). The removable membrane 307 may also include a top opening312 above the lower leg section 311. In some examples, the lower legsection 311 may have a height H so that the top opening 312 may remainsituated above an ankle 324 of the foot 319. In some examples, the lowerleg section 311 may have a height H so that the top opening 312 mayremain situated between a knee (not shown) and the ankle 324.

In some examples, the removable membrane 307 may include, at or near thetop opening 312, a membrane retainer 318. The membrane retainer 318 mayassist in keeping the removable membrane 307 in place (e.g., in anelevated position some point above the ankle) along the lower legsection 311, and to prevent the top opening 312 from falling down. Theremovable membrane 307 may also have an exterior membrane surface 305and an interior membrane surface 306.

In some examples, the footwear 301 may also include a second layer 323,which may include material for at least one of keeping the foot 319 dryand keeping the foot 319 warm. The second layer 323 may have an interiorsecond layer surface 316 and an exterior second layer surface 315. Insome examples, the second layer 323 may be associated with a sock 328.However, in other examples (not shown) the footwear 301 may not requirea second layer. In some such examples, the removable membrane 307 mayalso include a membrane moisture absorbing liner (not shown). Themembrane moisture absorbing liner may be configured in some examples tocover a portion of the foot 319 that is more likely to have moisture.For example, the membrane moisture absorbing liner may encompass thearea from the toe section 309 to the heel section 310 (including thebody section 315), but only along a lower portion 322 thereof.

When the foot 319 is inserted into the removable membrane 307, the toesection 309 may cover the toes 322 of the foot 319, the heel section 310may cover the heel 321 of the foot 319, the body section 315 may cover abody 325 of the foot 319, the lower leg section 311 may cover at least aportion of a lower leg 326 to which the foot 319 is attached. With thefoot 319 so inserted into the removable membrane 307, the exteriormembrane surface 305 may face away 327 from the foot 319, and theinterior membrane surface 306 may face towards 329 the foot 319. Also,when the removable membrane 307 is positioned within the boot 320, andover the foot 319 (and optionally over a sock), the exterior membranesurface 305 may be at least in part contiguous to the boot interiorsurface 303. And in examples of the footwear 301 including the secondlayer 323, the interior second layer surface 316 may be at least in partcontiguous to the foot 319, and the exterior second layer surface 315may be at least in part contiguous to the interior membrane surface 306.So-positioned, the removable membrane 307 may prevent water within theinternal cavity 304 to contact the second layer 323 and the foot 319.

In some examples, the removable membrane 307 may be a discrete layerindependent of the first and second layers 317, 323.

FIG. 9 illustrates an exploded view of a footwear 401 to keep a foot 419dry. The foot 419 may have dimensions typical of the average foot aswould be familiar to the person having ordinary skill in the art. Forexample, the foot 419 may have a maximum foot length FL measure as thedistance from toes 422 (e.g., from a big toe) of the foot 419 to a heel421 of the foot 419, and a maximum foot width FW. The footwear 401 maybe similar in one or more aspects to the footwear 301 of FIG. 8.

The footwear 401 may include a boot 420. The boot may be a covering forthe foot 419. the boot 420 may normally but need not always) reach abovethe ankle (e.g., the ankle 324 of FIG. 8). The boot may have bootmaximum length BL, and an associated shoe size, and a boot maximum widthBW. The boot maximum length BL, associated shoe size, and boot maximumwidth BW may be associated at least in part with the maximum foot lengthFL and optionally the maximum foot width FW. The boot 420 may include aboot exterior surface 402 and a boot interior surface 403, which may bedistinct in one or more aspects from the boot exterior surface 402. Forexample, the boot exterior surface 402 may include a sturdy sole, whilethe boot interior surface 403 may include an interior lining. Thus, insome examples, the boot 420 may have an interior lining. The bootinterior surface 403 may form or define an internal cavity 404 sized toreceive the foot 419.

The footwear 401 may also include a removable membrane 407 that may bepositioned in the internal cavity 404, which may be made of non-rigid,resilient, disposable material that is impermeable to water. In someexamples, the removable membrane 407 may also be configured to conformto the shape and size (e.g., the maximum foot length FL, and optionallythe maximum foot width FW) of the foot 419, and/or have a shape and sizecorresponding to the shoe size of the boot and/or the boot maximumlength BL and/or the boot maximum width BW. Relatedly, the removablemembrane 407 may have membrane maximum length ML and/or a membranemaximum width MW. In some examples, the dimensions of the removablemembrane 407 may be different depending for example on whether or notthe particular removable membrane 407 embodiment is intended to be wornwith/over one or more sock 423. For example, the dimensions of theremovable membrane 407 may be slightly larger if intended to be wornover a sock 423 rather than over only the foot 419.

The removable membrane 407 may also include a top opening 412. In someexamples, the removable membrane 407 may include, at or near the topopening 412, a membrane retainer 418. The membrane retainer 418 mayassist in keeping the removable membrane 407 in place (e.g., in anelevated position), and to prevent the top opening 412 from fallingdown. In some examples, the removable membrane 407 or some portiontherefore (e.g., a portion corresponding to a lower leg section 411 ofthe removable membrane 407) may be made of material having elasticproperties, and the membrane retainer 418 may also be made of suchmaterial. The removable membrane 407 may also have an exterior membranesurface 405 and an interior membrane surface 406.

In some examples, the footwear 401 may also include a sock 423, whichmay include material for at least one of keeping the foot 419 dry andkeeping the foot 419 warm. The sock 423 may have an interior socksurface 415 and an exterior sock surface 416. The sock may also have ashape and sock size corresponding to the foot 419 (e.g., to the maximumfoot length FL, and optionally the maximum foot width FW), and/or mayhave a shape and size corresponding to the shoe size of the boot and/orthe dimensions of the boot (e.g., the boot maximum length BL and/or theboot maximum width BW), and or dimensions related to the removablemembrane 423 (e.g., the membrane maximum length ML and/or the membranemaximum width MW). Relatedly, the sock 419 may have a sock maximumlength SL and/or a sock maximum width SW.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating one example of a method 900 ofkeeping a foot dry using a footwear assembly. At block 1005, method 1000may include providing a footwear assembly including a footwear memberand a removable membrane. As mentioned above, the footwear member mayhave an exterior surface defining an exterior of the footwear member, aninternal surface defining an internal cavity sized to receive the footand at least portions of the removable membrane, and a footwear size.The removable membrane may include a non-rigid, disposable, resilientmaterial that may be impermeable to water. The removable membrane mayalso have a membrane exterior surface, a membrane interior surface, anda membrane size corresponding to the footwear size. The removablemembrane may include a closed toe section, a heel section opposite tothe toe section, a body section between the toe section and the heelsection, a lower leg section above the heel section, and a top openingabove the lower leg section. The removable membrane may also beconfigured to conform to a shape and a size of the foot.

At block 1010, the method 1000 may also include placing the providedmembrane over the foot so that the toe section covers toes of the foot,the heel section covers a heel of the foot, and the lower leg sectioncovers at least a portion of a lower leg to which the foot is attachedso that the membrane exterior surface may face away from the foot andlower leg, and the membrane interior surface may face towards andcontact the foot when the foot is inserted into the removable membrane.

At block 1015, the method 1000 may further include positioning theremovable membrane with the foot inserted therein within the boot, theremovable membrane preventing water located within the footwear memberfrom contacting the foot. In one example, the membrane exterior mayinclude a same membrane material as the membrane interior. In someexamples, the membrane material may include polyurethane. In someexamples, the membrane material may include 100% polyurethane.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating one example of a method 1100 ofkeeping a foot dry using a footwear assembly. At block 1105, method 1100may include providing a footwear assembly including a footwear memberand a removable membrane.

At block 1110, the method 1100 may also include placing the providedmembrane over the foot so that the toe section covers toes of the foot,the heel section covers a heel of the foot, and the lower leg sectioncovers at least a portion of a lower leg to which the foot is attachedso that the membrane exterior surface may face away from the foot andlower leg, and the membrane interior surface may face towards andcontact the foot when the foot is inserted into the removable membrane.

At block 1115, the method 1100 may further include positioning theremovable membrane with the foot inserted therein within the boot, theremovable membrane preventing water located within the footwear memberfrom contacting the foot. In some examples of the method, the placing1110 may occur prior to the positioning 1115.

At block 1115, the method 1100 may include, after the membrane is placedover the foot, placing a membrane retainer to prevent the lower legsection and the top opening from falling down, along the lower legsection so that water is prevented from entering the top opening. Insome examples, the membrane may be a first membrane and the membranesize may be a first membrane size.

At block 1120, the method 1100 may include removing the boot from overthe first membrane and the foot. At block 1125, the method 1100 mayinclude removing the first membrane from over the foot.

At block 1130, the method 1100 may also include identifying a non-rigid,resilient second membrane impermeable to water made of disposablematerial. In some examples, the second membrane may have a secondmembrane exterior surface and a second membrane interior surface. Insome examples, the membrane may also have a second membrane sizeassociated with the boot size. In some examples, the membrane may alsobe configured to conform to the shape and size of the foot.

At block 1135, the method 1100 may also include placing the identifiedsecond membrane over the foot. Thus, the first membrane may be replacedwith the second membrane.

In some examples, the first membrane size may be the same as the secondmembrane size. In some example, the membrane may include a discretelayer independent of another layer that is configured to cover the lowerleg section or another layer that includes a sock.

1. A method of keeping a foot dry using a footwear assembly, the methodcomprising: providing a footwear assembly including a footwear memberand a removable membrane, the footwear member having an exterior surfacedefining an exterior of the footwear member, an internal surfacedefining an internal cavity sized to receive the foot and at leastportions of the removable membrane, and a footwear size, the removablemembrane comprising a non-rigid, disposable, resilient material that isimpermeable to water, the removable membrane having a membrane exteriorsurface, a membrane interior surface, and a membrane size correspondingto the footwear size, the removable membrane comprising a closed toesection, a heel section opposite to the toe section, a body sectionbetween the toe section and the heel section, a lower leg section abovethe heel section, and a top opening above the lower leg section, theremovable membrane configured to conform to a shape and a size of thefoot; placing the provided membrane over the foot so that the toesection covers toes of the foot, the heel section covers a heel of thefoot, and the lower leg section covers at least a portion of a lower legto which the foot is attached so that the membrane exterior surface isfacing away from the foot and lower leg, the membrane interior surfacefacing towards and contacting the foot when the foot is inserted intothe removable membrane; positioning the removable membrane with the footinserted therein within the boot, the removable membrane preventingwater located within the footwear member from contacting the foot. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein the membrane exterior is comprised of asame membrane material as the membrane interior.
 3. The method of claim2, wherein the membrane material comprises polyurethane.
 4. The methodof claim 3, wherein the membrane material comprises 100% polyurethane.5. The method of claim 1, wherein the membrane comprises, near the topopening, a membrane retainer to prevent the lower leg section and thetop opening from falling down, the method further comprising: after themembrane is placed over the foot, placing the membrane retainer toprevent the lower leg section and the top opening from falling downalong the lower leg section so that water is prevented from entering thetop opening.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the membrane is a firstmembrane and the membrane size is a first membrane size, the methodfurther comprising: removing the boot from over the first membrane andthe foot; removing the first membrane from over the foot; identifying anon-rigid, resilient second membrane impermeable to water comprised ofdisposable material, having a second membrane exterior surface and asecond membrane interior surface, having a second membrane sizeassociated with the boot size, and configured to conform to the shapeand size of the foot; placing the identified second membrane over thefoot, thereby replacing the first membrane with the second membrane. 7.The method of claim 1, wherein the first membrane size is the same asthe second membrane size.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the membranecomprises a discrete layer independent of another layer that isconfigured to cover the lower leg section or another layer that includesa sock.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the placing occurs prior tothe positioning.
 10. A footwear to keep a foot dry, comprising: a toeportion; a heel portion; a first layer defining a boot exterior surfaceand a boot interior surface, the boot interior surface being distinctfrom the boot exterior surface and defining an internal cavity sized toreceive the foot; a removable membrane positioned in the internal cavityand having an exterior membrane surface and an interior membranesurface, the exterior membrane surface at least in part contiguous tothe boot interior surface, the removable membrane comprising anon-rigid, resilient, disposable material that is impermeable to waterand configured to conform to the shape and size of the foot, theremovable membrane comprising a closed toe section, a heel sectionopposite to the toe section, a body section between the toe section andthe heel section, a lower leg section above the heel section, and a topopening above the lower leg section; and a second layer comprisingmaterial for at least one of keeping the foot dry and keeping the footwarm, and having an interior second layer surface and an exterior secondlayer surface, the interior second layer surface at least in partcontiguous to the foot, and the exterior second layer surface at leastin part contiguous to the interior membrane surface; wherein, when thefoot is inserted into the removable membrane, the toe section covers thetoes of the foot, the heel section covers the heel of the foot, the bodysection covers the body of the foot, the lower leg section covers atleast a portion of a lower leg to which the foot is attached so that theexterior membrane surface is facing away from the foot, the interiormembrane surface is facing towards the foot, the removable membranecomprises a discrete layer independent of the first and second layers,and the removable membrane prevents water within the internal cavity tocontact the second layer and the foot.
 11. The footwear of claim 10,wherein the disposable material comprises polyethylene.
 12. The footwearof claim 10, wherein, the disposable material comprises 100%polyethylene.
 13. The footwear of claim 10, wherein the second layerfurther comprises, near the top opening, a membrane retainer to preventthe lower leg section and the top opening from falling down the lowerleg of the foot.
 14. The footwear of claim 10, wherein the lower legsection comprises a height so that at least one of the top openingremains situated above an ankle of the foot or the top opening remainssituated between a knee and the ankle.
 15. The footwear of claim 10,wherein the toe section of the membrane is configured to be form-fittedto the toes, and the heel section of the membrane is configured to beform-fitted to the heel.
 16. An article for keeping a foot dry after aboot, into which the foot is inserted, is punctured, the boot having aboot exterior surface and a boot interior surface distinct from the bootexterior surface and having a boot membrane that in an initial state isimpermeable to water and when punctured is no longer impermeable towater, the article comprising: a non-rigid, resilient membraneimpermeable to water comprised of disposable material, having a membraneexterior surface and a polyethylene membrane interior surface, conformedto the shape and size of the foot and comprising a toe section, a heelsection opposite to the toe section, a body section between the toesection and the heel section, a lower leg section above the heelsection, and a top opening above the lower leg section; the membraneconfigured for placement over the foot so that the toe section coverstoes of the foot and the heel section covers a heel of the foot, and thelower leg section covers at least a portion of a lower leg so that thepolyethylene membrane exterior surface is facing exteriorly away fromthe foot and the interior membrane surface is facing towards the footand at least some of the interior membrane surface touches the footwhile the membrane is placed over the foot and within the boot, whereinthe membrane comprises a discrete layer independent of another layerthat is configured to cover the lower leg section or another layer thatincludes a sock; near the top opening, a membrane retainer to preventthe lower leg section and the top opening from falling down when thefoot is placed in the article and the article is placed in the boot withthe punctured boot membrane; wherein, the membrane is configured forplacement over the foot and inside the boot so that water having enteredthrough the punctured boot membrane and into the interior of the boot isprevented from passing through the membrane, and also water is preventedfrom entering the top opening, so that the foot remains dry while in theboot.
 17. The article of claim 16, wherein the fit of the article isconfigured to prevent sliding of the foot in the article with thearticle and foot placed in the boot.
 18. The article of claim 17,wherein the article is configured for covering both the foot and a sockplaced over the foot.
 19. The article of claim 18 wherein the article isfurther configured for covering the foot and at least two dry socksplaced over the foot.
 20. The article of claim 16, further comprising aninner liner for absorbing moisture off of the foot while in contact withat least a portion of the foot and configured to cover only a bottomportion of the foot.
 21. The article of claim 20, wherein the bottomportion comprises nylon.